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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Cattle have been raised in Texas since the mid-18th |
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century when the Spanish established missions; and |
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WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1860s, ranching expanded rapidly; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The first cattle drives on the legendary Chisholm |
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and Goodnight-Loving Trails headed north from Texas toward the |
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markets and railheads in Kansas; and |
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WHEREAS, After interstate railroads were established in |
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Texas during the 1870s, cattle drives to the Midwest became |
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unnecessary, and communities such as Fort Worth and Amarillo became |
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points where herds were amassed and railed across the United |
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States; and |
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WHEREAS, The dramatic growth of cattle feeding in Texas, |
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beginning in the 1950s, has made our state a leading provider of the |
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grain-fed beef desired by consumers around the world, supplying |
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almost a third of the nation's fed beef; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas is the number one cattle-producing state with |
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an inventory of 13.8 million cattle and calves; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas cattle industry contributes almost $8 |
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billion in cash receipts and has a direct impact of $15 billion to |
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the state's economy; and |
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WHEREAS, Cattle production accounts for more than 70 percent |
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of livestock cash receipts and almost half the total for all |
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agriculture products in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Cattle production has played a prominent role in the |
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culture and legacy of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas cattlemen have a proud heritage of animal |
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husbandry and land stewardship that continues to be strong today; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor these dedicated producers and their |
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contribution to the economy and culture of our state and recognize |
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April 1, 2009, as Texas Cattlemen's Day at the State Capitol. |